I need a teeny bit of help - Writers Forum

Besh · 06-22-2005, 07:05 AM

Ok. I just got an idea for a short story, and it's going to involve the character talking about a time in their life, then it's going to go onto tell an event that happened at that point in time.
For those of you who understood what I said, I would like to ask you this question - would it be ok for me to write the 'flashback' in third person when I opened in first person with the character telling about their life? or would it be better if I kept it in first person and just went to on to describe the event that happened?
I'm just wondering if that will be a tad confusing for the reader. Any help is appreciated

--Besh

journyman161 · 06-22-2005, 07:12 AM

For mine it would depend on whether the event is of general significance or just an event in the narators life. eg. the flashback is about the Olympics, where the character was involved in a fight at a pub. The narator is telling of when he was married, then the olympics happened, & the fight, then back to the present divorced character.

It'd be fine to flashback & tell the story of Olympics & fight in 3rd person. Then back to 1st person for the rest of the story.

Note: this is just my opinion, I don't know if there are rules etc.

Hope that helps some.

Besh · 06-22-2005, 07:16 AM

It's not really of 'general significance'.. well i suppose it is in a way. It's going to show what his life was like during flashback time - which was all pretty much the same. The flashback is going to be the bulk of the story, so I'm not sure what way to go about it.

**Penelope** · 06-22-2005, 08:03 AM

I would keep it in first person. If you switch from first to third you'll have to make it very clear with a lead in sentence.

example

There was a time when I had the courage of lions but that was before the summer I turned eighteen.

It all began ........

**Penelope** · 06-22-2005, 08:06 AM

For first to third - hmmm

There was a time when I had the courage of lions but that was before the summer I turned eighteen.

Michael turned away and I remembered that summer long ago. He was a rebel rouser type of guy and was always getting into scrapes.

journyman161 · 06-22-2005, 08:06 AM

Maybe have you character write it? He opens telling of himself then starts to write the story as 3rd person?

bobothegoat · 06-22-2005, 08:38 AM

You could do it in third person all the way through, but then have it seem like it's first person at first by having the character saying it. IE (following Pen's example)

"I once had the courage of lions..."

He did something. He wasn't sure what would happen next.

Okay, that's pretty rough, but something like that might work.

Besh · 06-23-2005, 01:26 AM

I think I'm going to go with the

"There was a time when I had the courage of lions but that was before the summer I turned eighteen.

It all began ........"

kind of thing. Thanks everyone for your help

Talia_Brie · 06-23-2005, 07:31 PM

If the flashback is going to be the bulk of the story, then it's not a flashback, it's non-linear storytelling.

Yes, open in 1st person, and tell the 'bulk' of the story in 3rd. That'll work fine, and be a good way of making the break.

shadowseer · 06-23-2005, 08:01 PM

i wrote a story like that. I didn't switch perspectives, and it still worked, and it wasn't confusing, just make sure it's clear that it;s a flashback.